Pressure regulated electrical control



June 17, 1947. E. J. DILLMAN 2,422,342

PRESSURE REGULATED ELECTRICAL CONTROL Filed Jan. 10, 1944 INVENTOR.mum...

41;.) ATTORNISY Patented June 17, 1947 PRESSURE REGULATED ELECTRICALCONTROL Earnest J. Dillman, Detroit Lubricator Com corporation ofMichiga Detroit, Mich., assignor to pany, Detroit, Mich., a n

Application January 10, 1944, Serial No. 517,631

2 Claims.

The invention relates to a pressure regulated device and it hasparticular relation to a pressure regulated electrical control.

In the control of electrical circuits by pressure actuated means, onedevice that has been employed includes a casing having a diaphragmtherein provided with a switch actuating pin connected to the diaphragmat its center. As the diaphragm is moved in accordance with pressure atone side thereof, the switch is actuated. -The type of electricalcontrol may vary in many ways.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device of thegeneral character indicated wherein improved means are provided forguiding the pin in its movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved pressureregulated control having an improved spring or resilient means foradjust-- ably varying resistance to movement of the diaphragm by thepressure at one side of the latter.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingdescription, from the drawings to which it relates and from the claimshereinafter set forth.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a pressure regulated device constructedaccording to one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3 particularly, the device illustratedcomprises a casing having two main parts and H and mating portions l2and i3 joined together by a series of circumferentially spaced screws M.A diaphragm l5 extending between the two parts i0 and II has its outermarginal portion securely fastened between the mating portions i2 andI3. An opening H5 in the casing part II serves as a means for connectinga fluid pressure line to the casing so that pressure in the line will beapplied against the lower side of the diaphragm.

A rigid disc I 8 on the upper side of the diaphragm is connected to thelatter by means of a pin having a collar 2| abutting the upper side ofthe disc. This pin projects through the disc and diaphragm and has itslower end peened over as indicated at 22 against a washer 23 at thelower side of the diaphragm. As best shown by Figure 3, the upper end ofthe pin 20 engages the lower end of a pin 25 made of insulating ma- '21by the rivet 30.

terial which is vertically slidable in an insulating plate 26 formingpart of a switch device 21.

At its upper end, the pin 25 has a head 28 which is adapted to engage afiat contact strip 29 fastened at one end to the plate 21 by means of arivet 30. The strip element 29 is connected by an arcuate flat spring 32to a second flat strip 34 which also is connected to the insulatingplate At its free end, the strip 34 carries contacts 35 and 36 adaptedrespectively to contact other contacts 31 and 38. These other contacts3'! and 38 are connected to wires 40 and 4| extending outwardly througha conduit 43 fastened to the upper part In of the casing. A third-wire44 is connected to the strip 34 and from this is follows that a circuitthrough wires 40 and 44 or through wires 4| and 44 may be completed,depending upon the position of the contact strip 34. The spring 32 is soarranged and is so connected to the fiat strips 28 and 34 that itnormally biases the strip 34 into its upper position, or, in otherwords, as soon as the smaller pin element 25 moves downwardly, the strip34 automatically moves upwardly.

In order to provide a guide for the pin 20 and also an adjustable springmounting, a rigid metal strip or platform 48 is riveted to the upperside of the casing part It), as indicated at 49, and extends into thecasing and over the central portion of the diaphragm. This platformcentrally.

of the diaphragm has an enlarged opening 50 and within this opening anut 5| is rigidly secured by peening over metal below the platform asindicated at 52. The threaded opening in the nut is substantially largerthan the pin 20 and receives a threaded thimble 53, which is disposedwith its bottom or base Wall uppermost. An opening 54 in such wallclosely but slidably receives the pin 20 from which it follows that theopening serves as a guide for the pin. A coil spring 55 around the pinabuts the collar 2| on the lower end of the pin while the upper end ofthe spring abuts the bottom Wall of the thimble.

From the foregoing it follows that by turning the thimble, the loadingof the spring may be varied and hence the pressure on the upper side ofthe diaphragm may be varied. Consequently,

operation of the electrical control may be varied so as to operate atvarious pressures. A set screw 56 threaded through the stationary nut 5|and engaging the thimble serves to lock the latter in any position ofadjustment and a removable cover element 51 provides access to the partsas will be understood.

The structure provides a simple, easily manufactured and easilyassembled pressure regulated control wherein the parts are readilyaccessible for adjustment. Furthermore, the guide and spring mountingprovide a means for accurately guiding the pin and at the same timeproviding a means for accurately adjusting the pressure against theupper side of the daiphragm. Adjustment of the spring pressure may beeasily effected and once the adjustment is made the parts are firmlyheld against accidental displacement. The pin on the diaphragm may beused for actuating various types of controls and in a general way itshould be understood that the spring mounting and pin guide provide ameans for efficiently and accurately adjusting spring pressure at oneside or" a diaphragm and that this diaphragm might be employed invarious capacities where fluid pressure at one or even both sides of adiaphragm might be used.

Although only one form of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various modifications may be made without departing from the scopeof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A pressure control device comprising a casing having a dish-shapedlower member with a central pressure port and having a dish-shaped uppermember with a housing portion having an open side, said upper memberhaving its rim clamped to the rim of said lower member, 3, diaphragmextending across said members and clamped and sealed at its peripherytherebetween, said upper member having a supporting portion at its openside, a plate member secured to said supporting portion and extendinginto said casing through said open side in substantially parallelrelation to said diaphragm, said plate member having an aperturetherethrough concentric with said diaphragm, a nut secured in saidaperture, a thimble member having an apertured end wall and adjustablyscrew-threaded in said nut, a helical coil spring within said thimblemember and interposed between said diaphragm and said end wall, a thrustrod movable with said diaphragm and extending concentrically throughsaid spring and said thimble member end wall aperture, locking meansaccessible through said open side and carried by said nut, said lockingmeans being engageable with and operable to hold said thimble member inadjusted position, a snap switch secured within said housing portion andhaving an operating pin alined with and engageable by said rod foroperating said switch, and means to close said open casing side.

2. A pressure control device comprising a casing having upper and lowermembers rigidly secured together, a diaphragm in said casing and sealedto said lower member to form a pressure chamber, said lower memberhaving a port opening into said chamber, said upper member having ahousing portion and a wall overlying said diaphragm, said housingportion having side and rear walls rising from and formed integral withsaid wall and having a top wall and a front wall opening, said side,rear and top walls forming a compartment overlying the center of saiddiaphragm, supporting means rigid with said upper member and positionedadjacent said diaphragm and having an aperture therethrough concentricwith said diaphragm, an adjustment member in said compartment andaccessible through said iront opening and longitudinally adjustable insaid aperture and having a guideway therethrough concentric with saiddiaphragm, a thrust rod longitudinally reciprocal in said guideway andoperatively engaging said diaphragm, a spring surrounding said rod andheld under corrpression against said diaphragm by said adjustmentmember, a snap switch unit in said compartment and rigidly secured toone of said housing portion walls, said unit having an operating pinalined with and engageable by said rod, said unit being accessiblethrough said front opening, one of said housing portion walls having anopening for switch current conducting means, means closing saidlast-named opening, and a cover member closing said front wall openingand secured to said housing portion.

EARNES'I J. DILLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 670,539 Erwin Mar. 26, 19011,183,486 Pardue May 16 1916 1,610,213 V De Ville Dec. 7, 1926 552,803Williams Jan. 7, 1896 1,203,287 Weber Oct. 31, 1916 2,094,319 FaustSept. 28, 1937

